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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. land — ground
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. march — the month
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. land — a country
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. rock — music
  17. land — to come down
  18. pit — a hole
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. dip — to sink
  23. rock — a stone
  24. dip — a sauce

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com